Things for African Americans to do in Cincinnati in 2021 and 2022

What’s happening in Black Cincinnati in 2021 and 2022

 

Cincinnati African American Events this year.  

Hip-hop, R&B, soul, jazz, reggae, gospel, old school and symphony live-music concerts happening in Cincinnati in 2021 and 2022.

Black composers, plays, museum exhibits, comedy shows, concert series, operas, dance recitals, local music, and festivals to see in Cincinnati.  

Black Cincinnatians can routinely and affordably enjoy the performing arts, fine arts, entertainers, comedians, religious services, professional development training and program initiatives that help us improve our physical and mental health. We are also extremely fortunate that nationally known touring African American artists, singers, and performers routinely display their talents right here in the Queen City music scene.

When purchasing your tickets, be sure to ask about exclusive deals, discount options, community performances or same-day options.

The Black event lineup listed was submitted to our free, user-generated community calendar. Feel free to submit an event to be considered in this article. All Black events listed are as current as the publication date. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information prior to acting.

 

 

 

2021 Cincinnati African American Events:

 

We Are the Story: A Visual Response to Racism – Art Exhibit
Now – September 24th
National Underground Freedom Center
This exhibition is a response to the murder of George Floyd. It features a series of quilts highlighting civil rights, police brutality and racism in America.

 

America Reimagined – Art Exhibit
Now – October 30th
Kennedy Heights Arts Center
America Reimagined is a curation and archival project documenting dramatic changes in daily life across America in 2020 and beyond.

 

Unfinished Business – Play
September 14th, 7:30 p.m.
Aronoff Center
A comedy about a recently divorced, 60-year-old man who joins a basketball team with dreams to get to the Final Four of the Senior Olympics.

 

DeRay Davis – Comedy Show
September 17th – 19th
Liberty Funny Bone
Davis transformed his torridly rough upbringing, status as a working actor and fatherhood into a live show that stays fresh and ever-changing.

 

Pipeline – Play
September 21st – October 15th
Ensemble Theatre
A compelling, must-see portrait of parenthood, education, and the experience of young black men in America.

 

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner – Play
September 24th – October 9th
Falcon Theatre
Based on the popular, award-winning movie from 1967, the play is a powerful exploration of interracial marriage that remains just as relevant today.

 

Rod Wave – Rap Concert
September 27th, 8 p.m.
The Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center
Rod Wave will be live in concert and will be joined by NoCap, Rubi Rose, OMN Twee and DJ Five Venoms.

 

Tim Bae – Comedy Show
September 30th, 7 p.m.
Liberty Funny Bone
See the comedy stylings of 5th Ward Native, Comedian, DJ, Social media Personality/Influencer Tim Bae.

 

Related to Cincinnati African American Events: What to do in Cincinnati this week

 

 

Boney James – Jazz Concert
October 1st, 7:30 p.m.
Taft Theatre
Calling all jazz music lovers: get your tickets now to hear songs from his new album Solid.

 

Earth, Wind & Fire – R&B Concert
October 1st, 8 p.m.
The Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center
The American music trio has spanned the musical genres of R&B, soul, funk, jazz, disco, pop, dance, Latin, and Afro-pop.

 

DL Hughley – Comedy Show
October 1st – 3rd
Liberty Funny Bone
One of the most popular and highly recognized stand up comedians on the road today has also made quite an impression in the television, film and radio arenas.

 

Lil Baby with Lil Durk – Hip-Hop Concert
October 4th, 8 p.m.
Heritage Bank Center
Performing popular music from the duo’s recent collaborative album, The Voice of the Heroes.

 

Tony Baker – Comedy Show
October 7th – October 9th
Liberty Funny Bone
Tony Baker is a stand-up comedian and actor on the rise whether it’s on stage, film, television or social media.

 

Polo G – Rap Concert
October 8th, 5 p.m.
PromoWest Pavilion at OVATION
Taurus Tremani Bartlett, known professionally as Polo G, is an American rapper.

 

Remembering James- The Life and Music of James Brown – Play
October 9th, 7:30 p.m.
Aronoff Center
Come out and enjoy this spectacular production starring Dedrick Weathersby and Twon Marcel Pope. You will laugh, sing, dance, and most of all, remember the music icon.

 

The West End – Play
October 9th – November 7th
Playhouse in the Park
Set in 1941, this world premiere drama by Cincinnati native Keith Josef Adkins shines a light on a transformative chapter of local history.

 

 

Related to Cincinnati African American Events: Enjoy these Black-owned bars and nightclubs to continue the party!

 

 

Peabo Bryson – R&B Concert
October 10th, 8:30 p.m.
The Ludlow Garage
One of the premier male vocalists in contemporary music of the last quarter-century.

 

Wooten Brothers Band – Band Concert
October 12th, 8 p.m.
Memorial Hall
The five brothers have been a musical tour-de-force redefining the limits of jazz, funk, soul, R&B, rock, country music, and bluegrass.

 

In Real Life Comedy Tour – Comedy Show
October 15th, 8 p.m.
Heritage Bank Center
Mike Epps will be joined on stage with some of comedy’s most talented and sought-after entertainers, including DC Young Fly, Karlous Miller, Kountry Wayne and Desi Banks.

 

Gerald Albright – Jazz Concert
October 23rd, 8:30 p.m.
The Ludlow Garage
Gerald Albright’s musical muse has taken him to so many fascinating locales along the contemporary R&B/urban jazz spectrum.

 

Yasmin Williams – Soul Concert
October 27th, 8:30 p.m.
The Ludlow Garage
An acoustic fingerstyle guitarist with an unorthodox, modern style of playing. Her music has been commonly described as refreshing, relaxing, and unique.

 

Saint JHN – Rap Concert
October 30th, 8 p.m.
PromoWest Pavilion at OVATION
A Guyanese American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer.

 

Need Your Love –Play
October 30th – December 12th
Playhouse in the Park
From the creator of Cincinnati King comes the life and times of King Records star Little Willie John. You love the music, now hear his personal story.

 

The Millennium Tour 2021 – Hip-Hop and R&B Concert
October 31st, 8 p.m.
Heritage Bank Center
See Omarion, Bow Wow, Ashanti, Lloyd, Pretty Ricky, The Ying Yang Twins, Soulja Boy, & Sammie live!

 

 

Related to Cincinnati African American Events: Before the event, check out these Black-owned restaurants, food trucks, and sweet shops!

 

 

 

 

Raul Midón – Jazz Concert
November 3rd, 8:00 p.m.
Memorial Hall
Raul Midón has earned acclaim the world over, with a fanbase that stretches from San Francisco to India, Amsterdam to Tokyo.

 

Ledisi – R&B Concert
November 5th, 7:30 p.m.
Taft Theatre
Kenyon Dixon will join the Grammy Award winner.

 

Gary Clark Jr. – Soul Concert
November 12th, 8:00 p.m.
The Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center
The Grammy Award-winning singer will take the stage for one night only

 

Nelly, Blanco Brown, and Harper Grace– Mixed Genre Concert
November 14th, 8:00 p.m.
The Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center
Three-time Grammy winner Nelly transcends genres with a full band concert series featuring Blanco Brown and Harper Grace.

 

Terence Blanchard – Trumpet Concert
November 18th, 8:00 p.m.
Memorial Hall
Two-time Oscar® nominee, and five-time GRAMMY®-winning trumpeter & composer, Terence Blanchard will unite his band, The E-Collective, with the Turtle Island Quartet.

 

A World of Imagination with Debussy, Ravel & Mendelssohn – Symphony Concert
November 26th – 27th, 7:30 p.m.
Music Hall
Roderick Cox’s Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra debut takes us into the sound world of the imagination.

 

Playboi Carti – Rap Concert
December 1st, 8:00 p.m.
BB&T Arena
Playboi Carti is an American rapper and singer-songwriter recognized for his experimental musical style, gothic fashion, and mysterious public persona.

 

Norman Brown with Bobby Caldwell and Marion Meadows – Soul Concert
December 11th, 7:30 p.m.
The Ludlow Garage
Joyous Christmas is coming to town with a patented blistering soulful guitar, memorable vocals, and sweet and lilting sax melodies.

 

2022 Cincinnati African American Events:

 

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – Play
January 21st – February 12th
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
Tensions and temperatures rise at a Chicago music studio in 1927 when fiery, fearless blues singer joins her band for a fraught recording session

 

David Sanborn – Jazz Concert
March 19th, 8:30 p.m.
The Ludlow Garage
Although a jazz musician at heart, Sanborn has transcended genres and musical  boundaries throughout his entire career.

 

 

Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations – Broadway Play
March 15th – March 27th
Aronoff Center
The electrifying, new smash-hit Broadway musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

 

I Shall Not Be Moved and Your Negro Tour Guide
March 19th -April 23rd
Memorial Hall
See the world premiere of I Shall Not Be Moved followed by the return of Your Negro Tour Guide, playing back-to-back.

 

The Wiz JR. – Play
April 2nd – April 11th
Taft Theatre
A vibrant take on Dorothy’s adventures through the Land of Oz and a fun, family-friendly musical that is considered one of the most popular and creative theatrical adaptations of all time.

 

The Twunny Fo’ – Play
April 15th – May 8th
Know Theatre
As rents go up and people move away, Tyra is trying to finish her MBA so she can leave the neighborhood once and for all.

 

School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play – Play
April 30th – May 22nd
Playhouse in the Park
Beauty, ambition and biting comedy combine in this off-Broadway hit!

 

 

Related to Cincinnati African American Events: African American Midwest festivals and concerts to keep you on the move.

 

 

Leon Bridges– R&B Concert
May 6th, 7:30 p.m.
The Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center
The Gold-Diggers Sound Tour with special guest Chiiild.

 

To Kill a Mockingbird – Broadway Play
May 31st – June 12th
Aronoff Center
When Tom Robinson, one of the town’s Black residents, is falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman, Atticus agrees to defend him despite threats from the community.

 

Carlos Santana & Earth, Wind & Fire – R&B Concert
July 9th, 7 p.m.
Riverbend Music Center
Grammy Award-winning, legendary artists.

 

Cincinnati Music Festival – Music Festival
July 21st – July 23rd
Paul Brown Stadium
Main stage headliners include Charlie Wilson, Snoop Dogg, Janet Jackson and The O’Jays. Special guest performances by Fantasia, Tony Toni Tone, Jonathan Butler and Tank.

 

Tower of Power with Lettuce – Funk Concert
August 11th and 12th, 2022, 7 p.m.
Taft Theatre and Rose Music Center at the Heights
Legendary Soul-Funk-R&B group Tower of Power and genre-busting six-member Funk band Lettuce will take the stage together in Cincinnati one night and Dayton the next.

 

Alicia Keys – R&B Concert
August 18th, 8:00 p.m.
Riverbend Music Center
Global music icon, songwriting pianist, Billboard Music Awards winner and 15-time GRAMMY Award winner

 

 

CDC Gathering Guidelines:

Large gatherings bring together many people from multiple households in private or public space venues and are often planned events with many guests and invitations. Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing.

 

Cincinnati African American Events photo provided by © [Olesia Bilkei] /Adobe Stock

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